Can opener



1954 o. F. JOHNSON ETAL 3,

CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 20, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 l 68 7O 5 7 sq i 33 i .12 'i I I 1 i2 i8 5 i 2? Tlg 5Q: GO

INVENTORS OUIDA F. Jcu-lusou '6 20TH A. BELL. BY

N ,1954 o. F. JOHNSON ETAL CAN OPENER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 20, 1955 INVENTORS JOHNSON E, RUTH A.BEL.L.

OumA F.

United States Patent CAN OPENER Quida F. Johnsou, Abileue, Tex., and Ruth Ann Bell, Honolulu, T. H.

Application November 20, 1953, Serial No. 393,424

6 Claims. (Cl. 220-52) This invention relates to a can opener and more particularly to a means for conveniently severing the tear strip from a conventional can such as is used in the dispensing of coffee or the like.

Cans of the type to which this invention relates are usually provided in their peripheries with tear strips which are adapted to be engaged by a key to be rolled thereon and to thus separate the bottom of the can from the top of the can.

While such a method of opening cans has been widely adopted and used, certain difficulties are presented in that the successive convolutions of the tear strip, as it is wound upon the key, become displaced so that the full leverage of the turning effort on the key is frequently lost and the result is a more or less jagged raw edge of the metal of the tear strip being exposed to cause injury to the fingers of the user.

The primary object of this invention is to guide the tear strip into a series of superposed convolutions as it is being removed from the can and to facilitate the rapid removal of the tear strip with but a minimum of effort.

Another object is to facilitate the removal of the tear strip from the can opener and from the spindle thereof so that the opener may be rapidly readied for a repeat operation.

The above and other objects may be attained by employing this invention which embodies among its features a tubular spindle mounted to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a tear strip guide mounted adjacent the spindle and extending across one end thereof in spaced relation thereto, a crank arm carried by the spindle and extending outwardly therefrom for rotating said spindle about the longitudinal axis, a plunger mounted in the spindle for rotation therewith and movement longitudinally therethrough, and said plunger having a slot extending transversely therethrough and opening through the end thereof adjacent the guide for receiving the tongue of a tear strip and winding said strip on the plunger within the confines of the guide as the spindle is rotated about its longitudinal axis.

Other features include means carried by the plunger and operatively engaging the spindle for yieldingly urging said plunger into contact with the tear strip guide, and means carried by the plunger and extending outwardly from the end thereof remote from the slot for moving the plunger against the, effort of the yielding means and withdrawing the slotted end of the plunger from within the convolutions of a tear strip which has been removed from a can.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a can opener embodying the features of this invention;

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the can opener illustrated in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2 and on an enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the ilne 55 of Figure 2; and

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the can opener.

Referring to the drawings in detail, a support S has secured thereto in any conventional manner a supporting plate 10 carrying adjacent opposite sides vertically extending flanges 12 defining with the plate 10 spaced guideways 14 in which opposite side edges 16 of a bracket plate 18 are removably received. The bracket plate 18 is provided adjacent its lower end with an outwardly extending flange 20 carrying adjacent its end remote from the plate 18 an upwardly extending lip 22 having a notch 24 opening through the top thereof. A flange 26 is carried by the bracket plate 18 and projects outwardly therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the flange 20 and the flanges 20 and 26 are provided with aligning openings 28 for the reception of a pivot pin 30 by means of which the can opener supporting arm, to be more fully hereinafter described, is supported on the bracket plate 18 tfor movement in a substantially horizontal arcuate pat The can opener supporting arm designated generally 32 comprises a body 34 carrying adjacent one end a barrel 36 for the reception of the pin 30 and carried at the opposite end of the body 34 and extending in spaced parallel relation to the barrel 36 is a tubular bearing 38. Carried by the body 34 and extending longitudinally therefrom in spaced parallel relation to the lower end of the bearing 38 is a tear-strip guide 40.

Extending through the bearing 38 for rotation about the longitudinal axis thereof is a tubular spindle 42 carrying adjacent one end a crank arm 44 having a handle 46 secured thereto adjacent the end thereof remote from the spindle 42 and formed in the spindle 42 adjacent the upper end thereof are diametrically opposed slots 48 which open through the upper end of the spindle 42, as will be readily understood upon reference to the drawings. Secured to the tubular spindle 42 adjacent the end thereof remote from the slots 48 is a stop disc 50 having an opening 52 extending therethrough which aligns axially with the longitudinal axis of the spindle and the tubular bearing 38.

Mounted for longitudinal sliding movement through the spindle 42 is a plunger 54 which, as illustrated in Figure 4, extends through the stop disc 50 and is provided with a transversely extending slot 56 which opens through the end of the plunger 54 adjacent the tear-strip guide 40. The opposite end of the plunger is provided with a transversely extending head 58 which, when the plunger is moved through the tubular spindle 42 and opening 52 toward the tear strip guide 40, enters the slots 48 in the spindle 42 to establish driving connection between the spindle 42 and the splunger 54. A compression coiled spring 60 is anchored at one end 62 to the plunger 54 intermediate the ends thereof, and said spring extends upwardly in surrounding relation to the plunger and engages a collar 64 which is mounted on the plunger 54 for vertical sliding movement. Stop lugs 66 are carried by the spindle 42 adjacent the slotted end thereof and extend inwardly to form stops against which the collar 64 engages so as to cause the spring 60 to yieldingly urge the slotted end of the plunger 54 into engagement with the tear strip guide 40. A suitable handle in the form of a ring 68 is carried by the head 58 to facilitate the moving of the plunger 54 against the effort of the spring 60 to move the slotted end thereof through the stop disc 50 and away from the tear strip guide 40.

With the device assembled, as above described, the starting tongue which commonly projects longitudinally from the tear strip of a can to be opened is pried upwardly by the use of an implement 68 carried in suitable spring brackets 70 on the arm 32 and the raised tongue is projected through the slot 56 of the plunger 54 when the plunger is in the position shown in Figures 2 and 4. Upon rotating the spindle 42 by the crank arm 44, it will be obvious that owing to the engagement of the head 58 with the walls of the slots 48, the plunger 54 will be rotated so as to cause the tear strip of the can to be wound about the slotted end thereof until the tear strip is completely freed from the can.v This will leave the tear strip in encircling relation to the slotted end of the plunger 54 until such time as pull is exerted on the handle 68 to move the plunger 54 upwardly against the effort of the spring 60 and thereby extract the slotted end thereof from its position within the convolutions of the tear strip. The tear strip is then free to be removed from its position on the guide 40 and the upward pull of the plunger may tend to lift the tear strip against the stop disc 50 which will serve to strip the coiled tear strip from the plunger to be subsequently removed from the guide 40'.

From the foregoing, it will be obvious that the tear strip will be coiled in successive convolutions which overlie one another and form a uniform body of substantially uniform thickness.

While in the foregoing there has been shown and described the preferred embodiment of this invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. A can opener comprising a bearing, a tubular spindle mounted in said bearing to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a tear strip guide carried by the bearing and extending across one end thereof in spaced relation thereto, means carried by the spindle and extending outwardly therefrom for rotating said spindle about the longiutdinal axis, a plunger mounted in the spindle for movement longitudinally therethrough, said plunger having a tear strip tongue receiving slot, extending transversely therethrough and openin through the end thereof adjacent the tear strip guide, a handle carried by the plunger and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the slot for moving the plunger longitudinally within the spindle and the slotted end thereof away from the tear strip guide, and interengaging means carried by the spindle and by the plunger for establishing rotary driving connection between said spindle and said plunger when the plunger is advanced through the spindle toward the tear strip guide.

2. A can opener comprising a bearing, a tubular spindle mounted in said bearing to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a tear strip guide carried by the bearing and extending across one end thereof in spaced relation thereto, means carried by the spindle and extending outwardly therefrom for rotating said spindle about the longitudinal axis, a plunger mounted in the spindle for movement longitudinally therethrough, said plunger having a tear strip tongue receiving slot extending transversely therethrough and opening through the end thereof adjacent the tear strip guide, a handle carried by the plunger and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the slot for moving the plunger longitudinally within the spindle and the slotted end thereof away from the tear strip guide, interengaging means carried by the spindle and by the plunger for establishing rotary driving connection between said spindle and said plunger when the plunger is advanced through the spindle toward the tear strip guide, and a stop carried by the spindle adjacent the end thereof adjacent the tear strip guide for engaging a tear strip wound on the plunger and stripping it therefrom when the slotted end of the plunger is moved into the spindle.

3. A can opener comprising a bearing, a tubular spindle mounted in said bearing to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a tear strip guide carried by the bearing and extending across one end thereof in spaced relation thereto, means carried by the spindle and extending outwardly therefrom for rotating said spindle about the longitudinal axis, a plunger mounted in the spindle for movement longitudinally therethrough, said plunger having a tear strip tongue receiving slot extending transversely therethrough and opening through the end thereof adjacent the tear strip guide, handle carried by the plunger and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the slot for moving the plunger longitudinally within the spindle and the slotted end thereof away from the tear strip guide, interengaging means carried by the spindle and by the plunger for establishing rotary driving connection between said spindle and said plunger when the plunger is advanced through the spindle toward the tear strip guide, and yielding means carried by the plunger and operatively engaging the spindle for holding under yielding pressure the slotted end of the plunger in contact with the tear strip guide.

4. A can opener comprising a bearing, a tubular spindle mounted in said bearing to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a tear strip guide carried by the bearing and extending across one end thereof in spaced relation thereto, means carried by the spindle and extending outwardly therefrom for rotating said spindle about the longitudinal axis, a plunger mounted in the spindle for movement longitudinally therethrough, said plunger having a tear strip tongue receiving slot extending transversely therethrough and opening through the end thereof adjacent the tear strip guide, handle carried by the plunger and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent the end thereof remote from the slot for moving the plunger longitudinally Within the spindle and the slotted end thereof away from the tear strip guide, interengaging means carried by the spindle and by the plunger for establishing rotary driving connection between said spindle and said plunger when the plunger is advanced through the spindle toward the tear strip guide, yielding means carried by the plunger and operatively engaging the spindle for holding under yielding pressure the slotted end of the plunger in contact with the tear strip guide, and a stop carried by the spindle adjacent the end thereof adjacent the tear strip guide for engaging a tear strip wound on the plunger and stripping it therefrom when the slotted end of the plunger is moved against the effort of the yielding means into the spindle.

5. A can opener comprising an arm mounted on and extending outwardly from a support, a tubular spindle mounted on the arm to rotate about a substantially vertical axis, a tear strip guide carried by the arm and extending horizontally across the lower end of the spindle in spaced relation thereto, a stop carried by the spindle adjacent the tear strip guide, a plunger mounted in the spindle for movement longitudinally therethrough and through the stop, said plunger having a slot extending transversely therethrough and opening through the end thereof adjacent the tear strip guide, the spindle having diametrically opposed slots therein which open through the end thereof remote from the tear strip guide, a head on the plunger and extending transversely thereacross adjacent the end thereof remote from the tear strip guide for entrance into the slots in the spindle to hold the spindle and plunger against relative rotation, a crank arm carried by the spindle for rotation therewith, a compression coiled spring carried by the plunger and operatively engaging the spindle for yieldingly holding the slotted end of the plun er against the tear strip guide and the head in the slots in the spindle whereby upon rotation of the spindle the plunger will be rotated, and a handle connected to the head for moving the plunger against the effort of the spring to withdraw the plunger from a tear strip coiled thereabout and the head from the slots in the spindle.

6. A can opener comprising a bearing, a tubular spindle mounted in said bearing to rotate about its longitudinal axis, a tearstrip guide carried by the bearing and extending across one end thereof in spaced relation thereto, means carried by the spindle and extending outwardly therefrom for rotating said spindle about the longitudinal axis, a plunger mounted in the spindle for rotation therewith and movement longitudinally therethrough, and said plunger having a slot extending transversely therethrough and opening through the end thereof adjacent the guide for receiving the tongue of a tear strip and winding said strip on the plunger within the confines of the guide as the spindle is rotated about its longitudinal axis.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,646,719 Young Oct. 25, 1927 2,286,039 Reynolds June 9, 1942 2,578,379 Taylor Dec. 11, 1951 2,649,990 Lyle Aug. 25, 1953 

